The present invention relates to a metallurgical shaft furnace usable to produce molten metal from a charge, such as a blast furnace or a cupola-type furnace. Generally, cupola-type furnaces were used for the melting of scrap or other metallic material, with only the application of air to an incandescent coke bed providing heat for the melting. More recently, however, with the formation of carbonaceous-containing metal oxide pellets and charging the same along with coke and flux, the use of cupola-type furnaces for the reduction of agglomerated metal oxides has become practical, such as is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,158, issued Aug. 27, 1974.
With the use of a relatively small and uniform charge of material in a shaft furnace, a problem has arisen in that, because of the relative uniformity of the charge, hot ascending gases from the lower melting portion of the furnace tend to escape up along the sides of the furnace. The passage of these gases, which pass upwardly along the periphery of the shaft, is termed herein as "channeling." The present invention provides a furnace construction wherein such channeling is reduced and cooling provided to the walls of the upper portion of the furnace, while hot gases are directed towards the central region of the charge. In addition, the gases are deflected away from the furnace shell, reducing the heat on the shell, thus making it easier to cool. Cooling may be accomplished with air or water.